Robert Gasser will take the ball for Milwaukee in Game 3 of the World Series on Monday night at Tropicana Field, carrying his family’s baseball history with him into the biggest start of his young career. For his father, Jim, a former Brewers draftee whose own professional hopes were halted by an elbow injury, the moment has the feel of a full-circle surprise.
Key takeaways
- Robert Gasser is set to start Game 3 for the Brewers at Tropicana Field on Monday.
- Jim Gasser was selected by Milwaukee in the 27th round of the 1984 Draft, but never reached the professional ranks.
- The Brewers acquired Robert Gasser through a trade after not drafting him themselves.
- Gasser has surrendered one run across nine innings in two road starts this postseason.
- Milwaukee used its first Tropicana Field workout to prepare for balls hit into the stadium’s roof rings.
- Pat Murphy said replay-style clarification could help settle difficult check-swing calls.
A father’s old Brewers dream finds a new stage
Jim Gasser was a high school infielder from Thousand Oaks, California, when the Brewers called his name in 1984. Drafted in the 27th round out of Newbury Park High School, he pictured himself following the path of Milwaukee stars Robin Yount and Paul Molitor. He had been a shortstop and third baseman, and had won batting titles in high school.
Milwaukee saw a pitcher. Gasser instead went on to Moorpark College, then was chosen by the Giants in the eighth round in 1986. An elbow injury arrived before he could begin a professional career.
Now, four decades after Milwaukee first drafted Jim, his son has reached the World Series in a Brewers uniform after arriving in the organization via trade. “It’s such a small baseball world,” Jim said, marveling at the route that brought Robert back to the club that once selected him. “You couldn’t write it up.”
Jim and his wife have felt every pitch of Robert’s October climb. Jim admitted he was not certain he would make it through the League Championship Series without his nerves taking over, saying the family’s excitement has only intensified as the calendar moved toward the World Series.
Robert’s first two postseason starts came in hostile road settings: Game 4 of the National League Division Series at San Diego’s Petco Park, where the Brewers clinched the series, and Game 3 of the NL Championship Series at Dodger Stadium. He has worked nine innings in those outings and yielded only a Fernando Tatis Jr. home run.
His parents made sure he could spot them before each start. They leaned over the bullpen railing in San Diego, then gave him more room in Los Angeles. Robert joked that they had been a little too near him for the first one, though he saw them when he walked out. At Tropicana Field, the warning-track bullpens will naturally keep them farther from their son.
Jim has intentionally kept his visits brief as the stakes have risen. Aside from waving to Robert and joining the on-field celebration after Milwaukee clinched at Dodger Stadium, he has tried to let his son focus. “He already has enough to handle,” Jim said.
That focus has helped Gasser weather a bumpy regular-season path. He did not open the year on the Opening Day roster, dealt with some arm discomfort and inconsistent feel, and returned to Triple-A Nashville. At another point, he was removed in the middle of an at-bat. Jim believes his son has recovered his footing at exactly the right time.
“He found it,” Jim said. “He’s pitching confidently now. He’s got some swagger, and it’s fun to watch.”
Milwaukee gets acquainted with Tropicana Field and revisits Game 2
The Brewers made Tropicana Field’s unusual overhead environment a priority during Sunday’s workout. Third-base coach Matt Erickson sent balls skyward with a pitching machine, giving Milwaukee’s infielders and outfielders a chance to track balls around the roof rings that can become part of a game here.
Milwaukee last played at the ballpark in May 2025, dropping two of three games. Manager Pat Murphy said the club must adjust quickly to a venue unlike most others in the majors.
“It’s a very different setting,” Murphy said. “You make adjustments. That’s part of being a Major Leaguer.”
The Game 2 finish also remained a topic after Rays designated hitter Yandy Díaz struck out on a checked swing against Aaron Ashby with the potential tying run standing at third base. Díaz protested the ruling, and Murphy initially believed the bat had stayed back.
After reviewing the play more closely, Murphy said the slower view showed Díaz’s barrel moving out in front. The manager said the play illustrated why baseball is exploring methods to better define and review check swings, calls that can be difficult for umpires to judge in real time.
Back in Milwaukee, World Series demand remained evident at the American Family Field team store, where fans formed long lines on Sunday. The store is scheduled to open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Central on Monday and Tuesday before the ballpark shifts its attention to Brewers watch-party preparations.
